Homemade Briar/Bamboo Stem Churchwarden Project

[hawke]

Since I didnt have a Churchwarden and often wondered how much the longer stem would cool the smoke, I decided to play with a inferior and unnamed yet briar pipe. The briar stem was cracked and I removed about a half inch of it. A brass tube was fitted into the stem and some cured bamboo from the side of the Savannah River covers the 11 1/2 inch long brass tube now. I still have to finish the bamboo(thinking of flame burn that Ive tested on spare piece) and find a tip for it. Overall length right now is 15 1/2 inches!
It is smokable at this point and the pipe is amazingly cool. I really have to watch out to not let the bowl get too hot making sure I touch it periodically. I think I tasted briar burning once which clued me into to the bowl temperature. Thats how much cooler it is! Its a dry smoker and the initial taste of brass has disappeared.
Phase one:

 

[dottiewarden]

Interesting and successfull experiment, congratulations! :clap: Now that you're convinced about the long stem/cooler smoke idea, does this mean your next PAD will be a Churchwarden?
Too bad about the Liverpool/Lovat

 

[hawke]

Gotta liquidate some of the resources first. Pipe smoking does lend itself to molding more patience I think.

 

[dottiewarden]

It also lends itself to justifying pipes and tobacco over food and family, or maybe that's just me!

 

[hawke]

Hahaha

 

[bulletsnbriars]

Wow, that looks great! Cool project, impressive work. I've been curious about churchwardens since I started piping, can't justify dropping the dough yet, but it's good to hear the concept is a winner. Hmm... Maybe next paycheck!

 

[redbeard]

Nice DIY Churchwarden!! You may even be able to add a small bit at the end to make a little more comfortable in your mouth when puffing. Like an MM eaton style bit. Pretty nifty!!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Keep in mind that the notion that the longer stem cools the smoke more, is a yes and no. Yes, the smoke will be a tad cooler than a stubby pipe; however, nothing will cool the smoke below normal smoke temperatures. You'd have to suck it through ice for that. Also, keep in mind that the stem will act as a condenser coil in an air conditioner, in the effect that condensation will build up along the walls inside and then run down the stem and gurgle where the draft meets the chamber. The Danish masters fix this by drilling the chamber just a tad lower than where the draft meets, allowing that condensation somewhere to go to prevent gurgles. So, if the pipe wasn't designed to offset that, you might be making a bubble pipe.
Most churchwardens of the best designs, still must be sipped slowly. However, I do hear occasionally on here guys that love to choo choo puff those wardens, lol. Enjoy it how you want. That's a very cool looking pipe.

 

[hawke]

Yes cosmicfolklore, the gurgle has begun. Nothing so bad that cleaning after a few bowls wont cure, but could you explain the

The Danish masters fix a little more please.
And redbeard, whats a MM eaton style bit please?

 

[hawke]

I tell you what, This Homemade Churchwarden has stolen the #1 spot from my Yello Bole Canadian Style Imperial as favorite pipe. I still haven't put the "looks" to it I have in mind, but this guy smokes fantastic! Such cool smoke and delivers a great cloud of smoke which I vent out the nose. I'm talking clouds that obstruct the view in front of my face and delivers a nicotine punch that truly satisfies. There's no problem hitting it just a few puffs to please the senses and while that is enjoyed, the bowl cools off patiently waiting for its next opportunity to send pleasure to this human. Three or four bowls and doing some quick cleaning has rectified the gurgle situation. I just had to learn how to smoke it.
I'd say I have around $5 in this pipe :rofl: and yet I cant see how any pipe could be more satisfying. :worship:
PS: Here's the now #2 Canadian pipe. The shank cracked but the hose clamp works until I can repair it. Yeehaaa!

 

[novicemaker]

you are the MacGuyver of pipes my friend. nice work on the shrine-warden lol(just making a funny because of the long bamboo stem.)

 

[cosmicfolklore]

By popular consensus we usually judge a "good" pipe by the draft meeting up with the chamber at exactly the bottom of the bowl. For straight pipes this is true, most of the time. However, since bent pipes tend to cause more turbulence, thus more of the smoke meets with the inside walls of the stem, causing a condenser, moisture forms. The Danish tend to bore the chamber just a tad lower than where the draft meets. This allows the moisture somewhere to go, so that the pipe doesn't gurgle with a bead of moisture constantly setting at where the draft ends. It just takes one drop of water to make for a miserable smoke. If that drop has somewhere to roll away from the draft, then the smoke is much more pleasant. The trade off is that a few flakes of tobacco don't get completely smoked, and this seems to drive some pipers mad.
Now, your pipe is straight. However, since the stem is so long, the same thing happens as their is more surface area on the inside of the stem. It might benefit from dropping the chamber down below the draft. But, keep in mind that, that would sacrifice a few flakes of tobacco.

 

[hawke]

Phase II. Ive taken the finish off of the briar and stained it, added a stem and a coil of copper. Im still going to burn the bamboo section. In test on spare pieces it turns our matching the briar quite well. How its looking now. (updated my avatar smoking the "Churchy")
Oh, cosmicfolklore, thx for the explanations. I get it now. There seems to be no gurgle problem as yet. I do clean it after 4 or 5 bowls, or when it seems time.

 

[hawke]

Update: a little more work...

 

[sladeburns]

Love it! Nice job!